Google Analytics Should Consider Google Images a Search Engine

One of my top referrers on virtually all my web sites is Google Image Search. Google Image Search typically is in the top five referrers for most of my web sites. And it is likely one of the top referrers for your web sites. The issue is, Google Analytics doesn't consider Google Image Search a search engine.

A Google Analytics Help thread has a request from a webmaster or two that they would love to see which keywords trigger the referrers from Google Image Search. In response to that, Googler, Christelle said it is not possible as the default set up. Christelle said:

You won't get the keyword information because images.google.com is not treated as a search engine by default.

Why is Google Image Search not treated as a search engine? Isn't Google Image Search one of the most used Google properties, just behind YouTube and maybe Gmail? I cannot tell you how I wish I had the keyword reports broken down under the Google Image Search engine. I bet there is a way to set up advanced reports to make this happen, but why shouldn't Google treat Image Search as a search engine. Isn't it a search engine?

Take the poll below and let me know if you want Google Analytics to treat Google Image search as a search engine: